Bengals Face QB Dilemma as Joe Burrow Suffers Calf Strain: Evaluating Options for Stand-In Signal-Caller
Cincinnati Bengals’ hopes of winning the Super Bowl are in doubt due to Joe Burrow’s injury
Fans of the Cincinnati Bengals are holding their breath after star quarterback Joe Burrow injured his calf during practice on Thursday, making the team fearful for the future of their Super Bowl aspirations. Burrow has been instrumental in the team’s pursuit for their first-ever Super Bowl victory, thus his absence might have a major impact on their chances.
The degree of Burrow’s injury is still unknown as of right now, and the team is eagerly awaiting any new information regarding how long he will need to heal. If their top quarterback was down for an extended stretch, the Bengals would be in a difficult situation as they fought to maintain their chances of winning the championship.
Burrow’s remarkable abilities and leadership on the field are a key component of Cincinnati’s Super Bowl aspirations. While there might be some options on the roster or in free agency to temporarily fill the vacuum, it’s clear that losing their catalyst player would be difficult to make up for.
The Cincinnati Reds squad and city are optimistic and resilient in the face of uncertainty. They are aware that their chances of winning a title are greatly increased with Burrow at the helm. To keep their hopes for this season alive, the club must be ready to adapt and fight in the AFC even without Burrow. The course that the Bengals and their players will take in the days to come will be crucial in determining. The Cincinnati Bengals strategically signed Trevor Siemian to a one-year deal as their backup quarterback during the winter in order to be ready for unforeseen scenarios. Siemian adds experience to the table, having started 30 games in his eight-year career, including six during the previous four years. His recent performance, however, has been less than impressive, as he has failed to win any of the games he has started since 2017.The brief amount of time Trevor Siemian had on the field last season demonstrated some of his quarterbacking skills.
He completed 15 of 26 psses for 184 yards in the two games he participated in, good for a 57.7% completion rate. He also scored a touchdown and threw an interception, giving him a passer rating of 76.4. Despite his underwhelming performance, Siemian’s metrics do suggest that if needed, he might help the Bengals’ offensive.
Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz, 30, is looking for one last chance to start, and the Cincinnati Bengals might be the team to do it. Wentz was benched in favor of other quarterbacks despite having a difficult season in which he completed 62.3% of his throws for 1,755 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In three seasons, he’s spent time with three different teams, yet he’s still unsigned. But if Wentz signs with the Bengals, his perseverance might finally pay off with 92 starts across his seven-year career.
Bridgewater is a good backup quarterback who is capable of starting a few games, which may be a good insurance policy for the Bengals. he started two games for the Miami Dolphins and played five last year, completing 62% of his passes for 683 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions (85.6 rating).
The 30-year-old Bridgewater did start 14 games for the Denver Broncos in 2021, completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,052 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions (94.9 rating). If the Bengals want a reliable option that will keep a talented team in games, Bridgewater is a very good player to have lead the offense.
Given his previous performance, Nick Foles, the former Super Bowl MVP, might not soon be called upon to serve as the starting quarterback. He made two starts for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, but his performance was by no means stellar. He completed only 59.5% of his throws for 224 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions, enough for a dismal passer rating of 34.3.